Albanian police arrest Russian Daesh 鈥榝ighter鈥�

R.M. left Russia to join Daesh fighters in Syria in 2013. (File/AFP)
  • The man immigrated to Syria in 2013 to fight for Daesh
  • He entered Albania illegally after a Russian court ruled in 2015 that he should be arrested

TIRANA: A Russian national accused of fighting for Daesh against Syrian government forces was arrested in Albania and will be extradited to Russia, Albanian police said on Friday.
Police said the 34-year-old man, identified as R.M., who was born in and a resident of Norilsk in Russia, entered Albania illegally after a court in Russia鈥檚 Chechen Republic ruled in April 2015 he should be arrested for being part of a terrorist group.
鈥淚n June 2013, this citizen left Russia for Syria, joined the illegal armed group named 鈥業slamic State鈥� and was an active participant in fighting against government forces in Syria,鈥� a police statement said.
It added NATO member Albania鈥檚 anti-terror unit had spent several months locating and identifying the Russian national wanted by Interpol Moscow. Increasing numbers of Russian and Ukrainian citizens visit Albania during the summer holidays.